Overlay networks, formed by a subset of nodes in a larger network, are increasingly popular to enable numerous types of applications, including consumer-related applications. For example, with the advance of broadband Internet connectivity, individuals can use Internet services that use the end-user's computer to run communication and file sharing applications. At the same time, the service providing this functionality can also perform background utility operations that also use a portion of the user's computer resources for purpose of supporting the network infrastructure. For example, the user's computer can act as a node that interconnects other nodes for purpose of relaying communications. Such overlay networks commonly serve as a backbone many peer-to-peer applications, facilitating the exchanging voice and other data.